The present crisis in the Middle East is similar to the conditions of WW1... So WW3 could be right around the door. Stock up on supplies. Also, if WW2 is as bad as WW4, make sure you have a means of traveling in case you're in the country where people are being put into death camps.

I am a living example... unfortunately... :weep: What exactly is your condition? Predisposed Schizophrenia induced by hallucinogens? HPPD? Bipolar disorder, largely triggered by marijuana use But I saw all kinds of strange visions and delusions... Thought I was Hitler, Jesus, Buddha, Charles Manson...

I have just read a thread on Zen Forum International which made me cheer., Its posted by the estimable Ven Nonin, who is a real Dharma/Dhamma teacher and good guy, and quotes from an old article by Gary Ray. Its called " Zen In Online Forums" and gets a big Sadhu ! from me. :anjali: NB If this is n...

By "the Lord", I mean a few things... I mean the supposed monotheistic God... Sakka, the king of the gods who is married to an Asura, and tries to make peace between the devas and the asuras... And the bodhisattva Kwan Yin. Any of these things could be equated with the divinity of other religions, l...

I asked Ven Pesala what the karmic cause of schizophrenia was and he said that drug and alchohol use was the cause. In certain situations it could apparently manifest in the same life. Do any of you know or have you seen reference in Buddha's teachings as to what can be the cause of mental illness?...

However bad your dad seems to you now, I suggest you don't write him off permanently. He's the only one you have and when he's dead and gone, there's no opportunity for reconcilliation and developing a meaningful relationship. Possibly, but my mom has warned me (and I believe her) that after she is...

Ben wrote:
She would describe my social life (the meditation group sits) I attended as "getting together with other people in a darkened room and, while keeping their eyes closed, not talk to each other".

Retro, I altered my post. It was a bit too harsh and ignorant. For instance, I changed "wouldn't" to "might not", because I wouldn't venture to speculate on and judge your views when I can just ask you instead. Greetings Individual, I could go on with this, Retrofuturist, but you wouldn't be interes...

BTW, a question: If I took the DSM-IV and then wrote a text of medium length (as concise as possible but not at the expense of clarity), relating the various conditions to notions of early Buddhism in unique ways, could anybody find that interesting and useful? Or would it just seem like the ravings...

but it's OK because I'm mindful and I know that there are powers much higher than him who are there to help -- if the intentions are pure. :) Actually, I shouldn't say that. That's arrogant. I can't be deluded like that. I should be "normal" and not forget to be mindful out of some kind of bizarre ...

OK, I know I post too much but you'll like this one, I think... So my dad isn't talking to me anymore because I've been snapping at him almost every time I'm with him. You can call it anger, but really, it's been a long-time coming. Growing up, he intimidated and scared me. Standing up to him, thoug...

Which is all fine and well - he's perfectly allowed to do those things... but there is no avoiding that there is an inconsistency between his interpretation and the world-view of the Sutta Pitaka. If looked at from different points-of-view, Abhidhamma and Nagarjuna could both be seen as consistent ...

Also.. It is helpful to recollect what worked and what didn't in your meditation so you can learn from it, but to make a past memory the object of attention is to lose touch with the present, the present is where you need to be no matter what your meditation practise is. You can be too obsessive ove...

Sounds like an exercise in encouraging clinging to me. If he says it works for him, why discourage him? No insight teacher would encourage trying to recreate past meditation experiences, come to think of it it can be a stumbling block to concentration practices too. If it was a good meditation expe...